


The Moon’s Light

by Jade_Kyo



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Alchemy bros whump, Angst, AtLA AU, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Bloodbending, Child Abuse, Choking, Forced to hurt someone, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Near Death Experience, Strangling, Varian whump, alchemy bros, alchemy brothers, hugo whump, if I need to tag anything please let me know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:02:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25713982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jade_Kyo/pseuds/Jade_Kyo
Summary: Hugo is confronted by his past and must overcome it in order to save Varian.
Relationships: Hugo & Donella (Disney: Varian and the seven kingdoms), Hugo & Varian (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 59





	The Moon’s Light

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! So this is just a fun idea that came about when me and some friends were figuring out what bending the characters would have and we came up with the brilliantly whumpy idea of Donella with bloodbending and I knew I had to write this fic! Hope you enjoy!

_It’s a full moon tonight._

The boy noted as he glanced out the nearby window, in all his 14 years he’d never come to hate a sight more than that wretched full moon. 

Every month on the full moon the young waterbender would feel its power coursing through him, but that hardly mattered now. No, the only thing the moon brought him now was pain and misery, there was no power or beauty in it for him anymore. 

Every month he would wait in misery for the door of his room to open, praying, hoping that it wouldn’t. That he would be forgotten to time, that _she_ wouldn’t come to find him this time. That maybe, just maybe, he would be spared the pain, just this once. That was all he asked for, all he wanted. But life was hardly ever kind, the door slid open, just as it always did. An older stern-looking woman entered the room. 

“Hugo, darling, it’s time for your training.” The woman, Donella, spoke. 

Hugo grimaced as he slid off his bed. He hated this, he hated the long walk to the training room, he hated the moonlight shining on him through the windows, a symbol of his suffering, he hated the eerie silence, the knowledge of what was to come. He hated all of it. 

He hated the training room, the place where it happened, where all of his troubles and pains took form. Where Donella tormented him day after day, working him to the point of exhaustion, all in the name of making him the best. 

But above all else, he hated the full moon. He hated the power it bestowed upon him and the power it bestowed upon _her_. 

Every month on the full moon they would train, much like any other day, but there was one key difference. The full moon granted great power to waterbenders, power that could be twisted for dark purposes. 

It was the same routine every time, they started with basic forms and attacks, maybe some more advanced moves depending on how well he was doing and then they would start his _special training._

“It’s a full moon tonight.” Donella’s voice echoed throughout the room, an eerie smile resting on her lips. Almost as if she enjoyed what was coming, and as far as Hugo knew she probably did. 

“It is.” Hugo breathed. 

Donella towered over him, a stern look in her eyes. “I should hope you won’t disappoint me again, darling.” 

Donella raised her hands in a familiar gesture. Hugo felt his entire body go rigid like someone was reaching a hand into his body and moving it to their whims. In a way, that was exactly what was happening, with every movement of her hands he felt his body move against his will. She moved her hands in a downward motion. Hugo slowly lowered down to his hands and knees, his body shook in protest to the movement but nothing could overpower Donella’s control over him. 

“Break free of my control and your training will be complete for tonight.” Her cold voice reverberated through the room. Hugo gasped as he felt his body forced flat onto the ground. Tears began to pool in his eyes as he struggled against her power. 

“Focus on the power of the moon, use its energy.” 

Hugo attempted to push himself off the floor but his body refused to obey him no matter how he fought, how he struggled, how desperately he wanted it to end, he just couldn’t break free of her control. He whimpered as tears streamed down his face. 

“Either you break free or we go till the sun rises.”

It wasn’t that he wasn’t trying, he was, with everything that he had. He wanted nothing more than to break free, to show her that he could do it, that he had the strength to fight back, that he wasn’t weak or helpless or pathetic. That he could be someone that she could be _proud_ of. 

Yes, he supposed in the end, that was all he really wanted, to make her proud. For her to see him as something other than a disappointment. After all, if he could only be better, push himself a little harder, earn her respect then maybe he wouldn’t have to endure all of this suffering, maybe then he could finally find some peace. 

Donella sighed, “how disappointing,” she raised her hand upward and Hugo’s body jerked up onto his knee in sync with the movement. 

“Please..” he whimpered out. 

Donella frowned as she forced Hugo to his feet, his body was thrashed around, pulling him to one side, then another. Like a puppet being pulled along on its strings, helpless to fight, hopeless to escape. Completely at the mercy of its puppet master, any will of its own utterly stripped away. Just a lifeless doll held up by the will of another, an object to be used for others amusement. To be laughed at and scorned for its failures and shortcomings. 

Tears were streaming down Hugo’s cheeks as he was thrown about like a toy. This was his life, he had long since come to accept that, but the pain, the suffering, all of it, it still hurt, no matter how many times he endured it, no matter how used to it he had gotten over the years he still found himself breaking down, wishing for something more. Wishing _he_ could be something more. 

_Wishing he could just make her proud._

The night dragged on without a moment's rest, the moon shining down onto the poor boy, illuminating his suffering as if to mock him. Until the sun's shining light began to crest over the earth granting the boy a glimmer of warmth and hope, freeing him from his suffering. 

* * *

  
  


“Hugo? Hey, Hugo, you alright?”

Hugo stirred from his memories, and let his eyes drift to the familiar voice, “huh? Oh, Varian…”

“You okay?”

“Uh, oh yeah, just.. zoned out is all.”

Varian raised his eyebrows skeptically. 

“I’m _fine.”_

“Heh, yeah you’re not getting out of this that easily,” Varian sat down next to Hugo and gave him an expectant look, “what’s bothering you?”

Hugo glanced at Varian, their eyes meeting for a moment before Hugo bowed his head and let out a hollow laugh, “what isn’t bothering me?”

Varian gave him a pointed look making Hugo sigh in defeat. 

“It’s a full moon tonight…”

Varian cocked his head, “a full moon? But aren’t you..” he thought for a moment, “you know, a waterbender? Don’t you gain your power from the moon? Isn’t it like… a good thing, heh?”

Hugo let out another hollow laugh, “yeah… yeah, it should be.”

“Then... why is it not?” Varian asked carefully. 

Hugo’s voice lowered to a near whisper, “Donella is a waterbender too.”

“Oh… o-oh…” Varian grew silent for a moment understanding Hugo’s meaning. He’d known for a short time now that Hugo had been abused by Donella and he could assume that her waterbending was used in that abuse. It was no wonder that the object that made waterbenders more powerful would be an object of disdain for Hugo. But still…

“Hugo, I understand why but… the moon is your source of power… you can’t just deny this part of yourself because someone chose to hurt you with it.”

“You don’t know what _she_ was like.”

“No, no I don’t, and I won’t pretend that I do, but who she chose to be is on _her_. Not you or anything else. There’s always gonna be bad people who will try to use good things for evil purposes but there will also be good people who use those things to help and protect.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying be one of the good people.”

Hugo let out an amused laugh, “do you really believe I could ever be a good person?”

“Hugo, you _are_ a good person.”

Hugo’s head snapped up to look at Varian. Varian’s smile was gentle and warm, a welcoming sight that promised safety and protection. Hugo felt his lip begin to tremble and a lump build up in his throat. He wasn’t seriously about to start crying over this, was he? He looked back down and rubbed his eyes. 

“Thank you,” Hugo breathed. 

Varian nodded, “anytime.”

Hugo looked up into the bright blue sky. He always loved the sun. He loved the radiating warmth, the way it shined down on him, the light openly revealing the world around him. It was a beautiful feeling, one of freedom and hope. He felt like he could relish in it for an eternity. 

But for the first time in his life, he felt that maybe the moon wasn’t all that bad either. 

* * *

  
  


The night was cool and soft. After his talk with Varian Hugo had decided to take a walk out in the full moon that night. It was a strange feeling, to enjoy the full moon. To feel its power in him, to feel its light shining down upon him and for once it not be a symbol of his pain and imprisonment. To just… _enjoy_ himself. He wondered if this was how most people felt, people who’s lives and childhoods hadn’t been filled with torture and torment. 

Hugo stopped in a clearing in the forest. He sat down on the soft grass and looked up at the full moon. It wasn’t that all his issues were just magically fixed because of one conversation but just that he felt he had something to work towards. He didn’t have to live in fear anymore, the moon, the source of his power, didn’t have to be a symbol of torment anymore. He gained power from the moon as well, he could fight back. 

Hugo couldn’t help the little smile that tugged at his lips as he recalled Varian’s words. Someone believed in him, someone saw him, the real him flaws and all, and saw a _good_ person. The smile grew into a grin and he laid back in the grass letting a genuine laugh escape his throat. Yeah, even if it was just for a moment he could let everything be alright, just for this moment. 

Hugo reached his hand out into the air and went through a familiar motion until he pulled a small stream of water out of the air itself. It was a technique that Donella has drilled into him day after day until he had perfected it; and even then she never seemed to be pleased with his progress. 

A smirk spread across his lips and he jumped to his feet. He began to pull the water out of the air freely. His body and the water began to move without form or precision, completely free from any inhibition or fear, free from the watchful eyes of a madwoman who could never be pleased. Just free to be himself. 

He twirled the water around however he pleased, a gleeful smile plastered on his face, growing wider with every step and movement. Now it didn’t matter if he was perfect or not, now it was just him and the waterbending he could learn to love, now he could be free. A joyous laugh ruptured from his throat as he ran through the motions of waterbending as sloppy and imperfect as he desired. He embraced this newfound freedom as joy and the power of the full moon coursed through his very being making his chest feel like it was about to burst in pure unadulterated glee! His laughter continued to echo throughout the clearing, unable to restrain the pure feeling of happiness and freedom that he felt. Everything was perfect. 

“You’re getting sloppy, darling.”

Everything stopped. His body froze in place. The water fell to the ground. He couldn’t move. Why couldn’t he move? No, no, no, no… it couldn’t be, no, this couldn’t be happening again, he was supposed to be safe, to be free. But he couldn’t move, his body stiff as a board, why? He knew why. The answer was so simple. 

_It’s a full moon tonight._

Hugo felt a harsh pull as his body was forcefully turned to face Donella. 

“Did you really believe you could ever escape me, darling?” A chill ran through the air as the words echoed throughout the clearing. 

Hugo was forced down to his hands and knees. He felt tears beginning to stream down his face, the shock of seeing Donella again after finally being freed from her overwhelming him. 

**_“No!”_ ** He shouted, trying so hard to fight back against the bloodbending as the tears continued to overflow. He felt so pathetic. Weak and ashamed, that’s how she had always made him feel. 

_“Hugo!? Hugo, where are you!?”_

No… no no no, Hugo’s mind reeled as he heard Varian’s voice in the woods, a million conflicting thoughts clashing at once within his head. 

_She’ll kill him, how did he find me, he can’t see me like this, get away, too dangerous, run, she’s going to hurt him, must protect him, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away-_

_._

_._

_._

_Save me._

Varian burst through the trees into a clearing within the forest, he had heard a shout that sounded just a bit too much like Hugo for comfort. He came to a screeching halt when he saw the scene before him, Hugo forced onto his hands and knees tears streaming down his face. Across from Hugo stood the woman Varian had come to know as Donella, he had only met her but a few times but what little he knew of her was enough to make him scowl in rage. 

“Hugo!” Varian threw himself between Hugo and Donella and stood protectively in front of his friend, _“_ get away from him! _”_

“No, no, Varian, please!” Hugo called out “get out of here!”

Donella chuckled, “how sweet, the little alchemist here to save his friend _.”_

Varian took a fighting pose, “I said _get away from him!_ ”

Donella smirked, “I’m not the one you should be worried about fighting, darling.” She raised her hands into the air. 

_“Varian!”_

Varian snapped around to find Hugo lunging at him, he swiftly sidestepped the attack, “Hugo! What are you-“ he stopped as he noticed the unnatural way that Hugo moved and how those movements were in sync with Donella’s bending. 

_It’s a full moon tonight._

_Donella is a waterbender too._

**_You don’t know what she was like._ **

Varian’s eyes widened in horror as the memories from their earlier conversation resurfaced. Understanding began to take form in his mind and the reality he came to now was far worse than anything he had originally imagined. Hugo rarely talked about his past even after Varian found out about Donella and now he truly understood why. 

_Bloodbending._

“Varian, _please,”_ Hugo’s voice broke, “please, get out of here.”

Varian stood firm, his eyes furrowed in determination, “I’m not leaving you, Hugo.”

Hugo was forced forward into another attack. Varian dodged by rolling to the side, quickly scrambling back to his feet. 

“Hugo,” Varian turned to face Hugo once more, “listen to-“ Varian’s voice was cut off when Hugo’s hands were suddenly wrapped around Varian’s throat, squeezing tightly. Varian’s hands shot up and clawed at Hugo’s wrists, “H-hu- gah!” The fingers lacing around his neck tightened even further and Varian felt his knees buckle beneath him. He looked up into Hugo’s eyes, he was crying and muttering apologies. 

Angry, Varian just felt angry. Angry that his friend had been abused and tormented, angry that the woman who hurt him was now doing it again, angry that he was helpless to stop it. 

Varian’s eyelids began to flutter as the lack of oxygen began to take hold over his body. Pain seared through his throat and his ears rang as he desperately gasped for air. His hands firmly grasped Hugo’s wrist as he tried to pry his hands away from his throat, tears pricked his eyes as he struggled with all his strength. He couldn’t let it end here, he couldn’t let her win, he couldn’t let her hurt Hugo any more. 

Hugo wanted to scream. Tears flooded down his cheeks as he watched his best friend being suffocated by his own hands, completely helpless to stop it. No matter how hard he tried to pull away, to fight against the bloodbending, he just wasn’t strong enough. Fear encased his entire being, Varian was his friend, his best friend, and he was dying right in front of him. He was killing his best friend and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Hugo choked back a sob as he looked into his friend’s eyes for what he thought might very well be the last time. Hugo noticed Varian’s eyes drift off, focusing somewhere behind his head. There seemed to be a flicker of realization within his eyes and Hugo felt Varian begin to pull on his wrists again. 

“T-th- ngh” Hugo fought against the bloodbending with newfound resolve determined to hear what Varian was saying, “the- agh- th-“ Varian inhaled what little air he could, “the.. moon!” 

The moon? Hugo blinked only a moment before understanding what Varian was trying to say. Memories of their early conversation beginning to resurface. 

_The moon is your source of power._

_Be one of the good people._

**_Hugo, you are a good person._ **

Hugo closed his eyes and focused on the power he could feel coursing through him. It was a tingling sensation he could feel throughout his entire body, a feeling he had come to hate. But now, now he let the feeling overwhelm him. He had to do this, Varian’s life depended on it. He felt the power flowing throwing him and he _embraced_ it. He felt the pressure, that sensation of someone reaching inside him, residing from his being, replaced by the raw power of the full moon. 

Hugo’s hands pulled away from Varian’s throat and Varian collapsed to the ground gasping desperately for air. Hugo stepped back in shock as he stared at his hands. He did it, he actually did it. He overpowered her, he broke free, she couldn’t control him anymore. He was shaken from his state of shock when he heard Varian’s ragged coughs. His eyes darted up toward his friend who was still struggling to pull oxygen back into his lungs. Hugo ran toward Varian, sliding to his knees next to his friend, “Varian!”

“Well,” the chilling voice of Donella echoed, “you’ve finally done it,” she grinned, “I’m impressed, darling.”

Protective instincts kicked in as Varian grabbed Hugo pulling him back and throwing himself in front of him, a sharp glare settling on his features. Donella only grinned the way one would when discovering the answer to a long-standing issue. 

Hugo felt Varian’s body suddenly stiffen. 

“Hugo,” Varian’s voice was hoarse from being strangled, “run.”

Hugo’s eyes widened in realization and he scrambled away from Varian just as the younger boy pulled a knife out of his belt and slashed where Hugo had been sitting. 

“Maybe you can resist my bending, darling,” Donella smirked, “but he can’t.” 

Varian’s body twitched as he tried to fight against the hold the bending had on him. His hands slowly raised, coming together, pointing the knife at Hugo. Hugo’s eyes furrowed in determination, he pulled water out of the air and took a fighting stance, ready to save his friend, his _brother_ . _No matter what it took._

“Hugo, get out of here-“

“Don’t worry about me, hairstripe,” Hugo said with a cocky edge. 

“He’s right, darling,” Donella’s cold voice cut in, “Hugo is not the one you should be worried about right now.”

Everything seemed to happen so fast. 

Varian felt his hands twist the knife around until it was suddenly turned in toward himself. His hands raised high into the air ready to plunge the blade into his small body. He slammed his eyes shut not wanting to see what was coming next as the reality of it came crashing down on him and he felt his hands begin their swift descent. There was a shout, Varian figured it was Hugo but he was in such a state of terror that he really couldn’t be sure. 

And then everything stopped. The knife fell to the ground. Varian had control over his body again. He was alive and uninjured. 

Varian looked up to see Hugo standing there, a look of terror on his face. He wasn’t looking at Varian, he was looking somewhere behind him. Varian turned his head to see and his heart stopped as he understood what had happened. 

Donella was forced down onto her knees, unable to move or resist. Despite her position, a smirk spread across her face which grew into a dark laugh, “well, Hugo, you’ve finally done it!” an eerie smile settled on her lips. 

_“I’m proud of you.”_

Varian watched as Donella suddenly relaxed. Realizing that she was free from the bending Varian took up a fighting stance ready to fight if she came at them again. Instead, the woman merely smiled and laughed as if she had already won. She turned around and disappeared into the forest without saying anything more. Varian assumed that since Hugo could now fight back Donella thought it wiser not to attack during a full moon. 

Under normal circumstances, Varian would’ve tried to chase after her and defeat her for good, but there was something much more prominent on his mind. He heard a gasp behind him and he turned around to see Hugo collapsed on the ground sobbing, his hand clasped over his mouth and tears streamed from his terror-stricken eyes. 

“Hugo!” Varian ran to his friend and kneeled in front of him, “Hugo, are you-“

“I’m sorry..”

“What?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry-“

“No, Hugo, it’s okay-“

“I’m a monster,” Hugo whispered. 

Varian’s eyes widened, “Hugo… you were just defending yourself and protecting me. You’re not a monster-“

“Then what am I!?” Hugo shouted as sobs wracked his body. 

Varian felt his chest tighten as he looked at his friend, so broken and sad.

“Hugo,” Varian smiled, gentle and welcoming; he pulled Hugo into a soft embrace, “I told you, you’re a good person.”

Hugo grew silent for only a moment before a small listless laugh escaped his throat. He found himself breaking down into even more sobs as he threw his arms around Varian and buried his head in the younger boy's shoulder. 

Even after all of that, Varian still believed in him. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> And there you have it! Some alchemy bros whump! Originally I had wanted to include Nuru and Yong in this but the story ended up just not really playing out in a way that allowed that so it turned into an alchemy bros centered fic. Varian is also supposed to be a firebender but again it just didn’t play out in a way where he could actually use it lol 😅
> 
> Welp hope you enjoyed!


End file.
